Need to increase tertiary educ enrollment to 21 pc over next 10 yrs

Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 16:07 [IST]

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New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today stressed the need for a substantial increase in the enrollment in tertiary education to catch up with countries like China which are well ahead in this sphere.

''We have gone a long way in expanding the infrastructure of primary education, the goal of a school in every village.

Now we have to concentrate on improving and maintaining the quality... as well as to focus on related sectors,'' he said.

Dr Ahluwalia noted that now the emphasis should be secondary and tertiary sectors, to cater to the next stages and maintain the level of development.

''We need to focus on secondary education, which is the next stage as well as tertiary education,'' he said.

Admitting that China had achieved the target of 21 per cent enrollment in the last decade itself, he said this was because it was a richer country than India.

''Their per capita income is double ours, but as ours is increasing, we are also working to achieve this goal,'' he said.

Dr Ahluwalia said the current level in India was presently 11 per cent and the government hoped to take it to the 21 per cent level in the next ten years.